New Delhi:
The Prime Minister has described the twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad this evening as a "dastardly attack." Tweets from his office vowed, "The guilty will not go unpunished."
Here is the full statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office:
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has strongly condemned the bomb blasts in Hyderabad. While expressing shock and grief over the loss of lives in the blasts, the Prime Minister has appealed to the public to remain calm and maintain peace. He has also directed the central agencies to extend all possible help to the Andhra Pradesh state authorities in relief operations.
"This is a dastardly attack, the guilty will not go unpunished", the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister has also sanctioned ex-gratia from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the tune of Rs.2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased persons and Rs.50,000/- each to the persons seriously injured in bomb blasts.